JWST Sees Hints of an Atmosphere on a Potentially Habitable Exoplanet
Hints of Atmosphere on Earth-Sized Exoplanet Raise Hopes for Life A monumental sign of an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e could be the precursor to finally finding a living world around another star By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept shows the volatile red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 and its four most closely orbiting planets, […]
How to See Faster-Than-Light Motion
The UniverseFridays How to See Faster-Than-Light Motion Superluminal velocities are common but illusory By Phil Plait edited by Clara Moskowitz The light echo around the star V838 Monocerotis as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope in November 2005. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait When I […]
How Many Planets Orbit Our Nearest Neighboring Star?
New Instrument Checks on Proxima Centauri’s Planets Fresh results from near-infrared instruments foretell a bright future for finding life elsewhere in the Milky Way By Ivan Farkas edited by Lee Billings An artist’s impression of the Proxima Centauri system, with the planets Proxima b and Proxima d—the latter confirmed by the NIRPS planet-hunting instrument. Some […]
Starship’s 10th flight breaks streak of bad luck
Nell Greenfieldboyce SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket racked up some much-needed successes on its 10th test flight, hitting key test objectives and breaking a streak of failures that bedeviled the spaceship this year. The silver and black two-stage rocket, which stands about 400 feet tall, blasted off from the SpaceX facility in south Texas near Boca […]
SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Spacecraft After String of Mishaps
SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Spacecraft after String of Mishaps Overcoming three recent failed tries, Elon Musk’s rocket company successfully flew its reusable jumbo booster and upper-stage Starship spacecraft By Dan Vergano edited by Clara Moskowitz An earlier SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy booster are moved to the launch pad at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. […]
To improve crop yields, just add trees
Editor’s note: To meet global food demand by 2050, production will have to increase by 60 percent, the FAO reports — yet agriculture is already a major source of deforestation. To meet humanity’s food needs, we must use land more sustainably and productively. One solution with potential is agroforestry, a practice that integrates trees and…
Report: Coffee companies pledge to tackle the bitter consequences of climate change
Freshly brewed, a new report on the future of sustainable coffee offers grounds for optimism. Released by the Sustainable Coffee Challenge — a Conservation International-led coalition of 160 partners — the report finds that a growing number of companies, non-governmental organizations and research institutions are dedicated to improving sustainability in the coffee industry. The report…
Protect nature or risk future pandemics, expert warns
Humanity’s continued assault on the environment could unleash another pandemic — and soon. Though every new infectious disease is unique, research shows many share a key feature: They are driven by the destruction of nature. In a recent interview with Conservation News, Vora discussed how his experience as a physician has helped him explore the…
Sudan’s Army Retakes the Presidential Palace in Khartoum
Sudan’s Civil War Two years into a civil war, troops recaptured the palace in Khartoum, routing a paramilitary foe. Civilians have been trapped in the middle in a city with an apocalyptic air. Two years into a civil war, troops recaptured the palace in Khartoum, routing a paramilitary foe. Civilians have been trapped in the…
Sudan’s army recaptures presidential palace in major battlefield gain
Compound was last bastion in the capital, Khartoum, held by rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces The Sudanese army has recaptured the presidential palace in the capital, Khartoum, in a highly symbolic battlefield victory over the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the country’s catastrophic civil war. Videos posted on social media showed soldiers carrying assault rifles…
Justin Bieber Subtly Reacts to Critics “Tearing Hailey Bieber Apart”
Justin Bieber showed subtle support for his wife Hailey Bieber amid ongoing speculation over their relationship. Justin Bieber is taking a beat to support his beauty. The 31-year-old—amid heightened scrutiny over him and his relationship with Hailey Bieber—subtly reacted to the drama by liking an Instagram post discussing his wife. The post in question, shared…
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?
Heathrow Airport is closed all day Friday due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation that supplies it with power. The UK’s busiest airport has warned of significant disruption over the coming days, with at least 1,300 flights in and out cancelled. What are your rights if your journey has been disrupted and can…
Elon Musk’s Pentagon visit sparks more questions about his access to sensitive files
Greg Myre Elon Musk visited the Pentagon on Friday. But questions about why ignited a fresh storm of controversy surrounding his access to sensitive government information. The New York Times, citing unnamed officials, reported that Musk would receive a briefing on U.S. plans for any potential conflict with China, which involve some of the military’s…
Education Dept. cuts could hurt low-income schools. And, an entertainment rundown
By Brittney Melton here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. President Trump signed an executive action yesterday to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The administration has promised that certain federal education grants, including for low-income and rural…
What we know so far about the Heathrow closure
Flights around the world have been disrupted after Heathrow Airport closed due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation. Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, said it was experiencing “significant” disruption after the blaze at North Hyde substation in Hayes, west London. More than 1,300 flights have been affected, tracking website Flightradar24 said, and passengers…
New map pinpoints where people depend on nature the most
More than two-thirds of the population of the tropics — about 2.7 billion people — directly depend on nature for at least one of their most basic needs, according to new research. The study, published today in the journal Global Environmental Change, is the first to quantify people’s dependence on nature, and underscores the extent…
Notes from the field: Forest drones, gorilla germs and more
Though news headlines about the state of the planet may seem bleak, they don’t always capture the whole story. Around the world, the work of protecting nature and the climate is happening in the field — and achieving triumphs that don’t always make the news. Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know…
New science: deep-sea hotspot, Indigenous ocean conservation and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent research published by Conservation International experts. Off the coast of Chile, the deep waters surrounding Easter Island are brimming with some of the densest populations of black corals on Earth, according to new research. Black corals create critical habitat for an abundance of deep-sea life,…
News spotlight: Humanity barreling toward ‘irreversible’ climate tipping points
Editor’s note: News about conservation and the environment is made every day, but some of it can fly under the radar. In a recurring feature, Conservation News shares a recent news story that you should know about. Our world is 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than it was at the dawn of the…
Why a new treaty to protect the high seas is a ‘game-changer’
Roughly two-thirds of the world’s oceans lie beyond national boundaries in an area known as the “high seas” — yet only about 1 percent of that vast and largely unexplored expanse has been protected. Now, after two decades of planning, intense negotiations and a final 36-hour marathon session, countries have agreed on the first-ever United…
‘Deported because of his tattoos’: has the US targeted Venezuelans for their body art?
US claims tattoos prove membership of Tren de Aragua gang but relatives describe tributes to God, family and Real Madrid Like many Venezuelans of his generation, Franco José Caraballo Tiapa is a man of many tattoos. There is one of a rose, one of a lion, and another – on the left side of the…
Kanzi the Bonobo, Who Learned Language and Made Stone Tools, Dies at Age 44
Kanzi the Bonobo, Who Learned Language and Made Stone Tools, Dies at Age 44 What we learned about ape and human cognition from Kanzi the bonobo, who died this week By Kate Wong edited by Jeanna Bryner Kanzi the bonobo died on March 18, 2025, at the age of 44. Kanzi the bonobo, who learned…
How Meryl Streep Reacted After Learning Eva Longoria Is Her Cousin
Eva Longoria revealed that Meryl Streep had the sweetest reaction to finding out they’re cousins, saying that the Oscar winner quipped, “Clearly you got the beauty.” Eva Longoria has only family members in the building. The Desperate Housewives alum shared that she recently discovered she’s related to Meryl Streep while appearing on an episode of…
Zimbabwean millennial Kirsty Coventry gets Olympic top job
By Kate Bartlett JOHANNESBURG, South Africa—Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry has had an eventful career, from the pool, to parliament. The country’s former dictator, Robert Mugabe, called her “a golden girl,” while the man who deposed him in a coup — Emmerson “the Crocodile” Mnangagwa – appointed her his minister of sports. Now the 41-year-old…
Heathrow Airport closes all day over power outage
Heathrow Airport is closing all day Friday because of a large fire at a nearby electrical substation that supplies it. The airport is experiencing a “significant power outage” because of the fire, a statement from Heathrow said. “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23:59 on 21 March,”…
Netanyahu Expected to Fire Shin Bet Chief Despite Protests
Middle East Tensions Israelis have been demonstrating against the action, which many see as part of an effort to reduce checks on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel convened his cabinet late Thursday to approve the ouster of the head of the Shin…
Bachelor’s Katie Thurston Is “Not OK” Emotionally Amid Cancer Battle
Bachelorette alum Katie Thurston shared insight into her breast cancer treatments and how she’s “emotionally not OK” on the March 19 episode of The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast. Bachelor Nation’s Katie Thurston is getting candid on the challenges of breast cancer battle. The 34-year-old—who starred on The Bachelorette in 2021 after appearing on…
Kirsty Coventry elected first female president of IOC as Coe routed in vote
The Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry has become the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee in its 131-year history after a stunning first-round knockout over a seven-strong field that included Britain’s Sebastian Coe. In a contest that had been expected to go through multiple rounds of voting, the 41-year-old won 49 of the 97…
Meet a scientist: the sustainable-seafood guru
Editor’s note: A recent survey found that 81 percent of Americans could not name a living scientist. No, not a single one. At Conservation International (CI), we have lots of scientists you should know. Here’s one. Jack Kittinger is senior director of the global fisheries and aquaculture program for Conservation International’s Center for Oceans, focusing…
Update: What we’re learning about the world’s largest fish
Editor’s note: Indonesia’s Bird’s Head Seascape is home to a large population of whale sharks, the world’s largest fish and, until recently, largely a mystery to science. In 2015, Conservation International (CI) scientists made headlines by launching the world’s first successful fin-mounted satellite tagging program for whale sharks. By directly attaching a satellite tag to…
Report: One-fifth of Mekong River fish face extinction
Unsustainable development has pushed one-fifth of the fish in the Mekong River — the lifeblood of Southeast Asia — to near extinction, according to a new report. While the report paints a bleak picture, there is still time to reverse the damage to the river — if countries work together, says Conservation International freshwater scientist…
Trump Wants to go to Mars. That’s Not Happening
Opinion We’re Not Going to Mars Anytime Soon—Despite What Musk Says Elon Musk and Donald Trump have announced ambitious plans to send a mission to Mars in 2026 and 2028. It’s not going to happen By Paul M. Sutter edited by Dan Vergano Elon Musk gives a tour to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and lawmakers…
Trump Wants to Take Over Ukraine’s Nuclear Plants. What Would That Mean?
Russia-Ukraine War The White House said taking ownership of Ukrainian plants would give them the “best protection.” The idea faces legal hurdles and operational challenges, and it’s unclear if Ukraine would agree to it. By Constant Méheut Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine During a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine this week, President Trump floated…
Patrick Schwarzenegger & Abby Champion Star in SKIMS Wedding Campaign
Kim Kardashian enlists White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion to star in SKIMS’ Wedding Shop campaign. These styles are all about luxe comfort, romance, and unforgettable moments. Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. Get ready for…
Pentagon restores webpages of Black veterans, Navajo Code Talkers and others after outcry
Tom Bowman The Pentagon has restored some of its webpages that highlighted Black veterans such as Jackie Robinson, the Tuskegee Airmen and Vietnam-era Medal of Honor recipient Major Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers as well as the Navajo Code Talkers from World War II and the Japanese-American 442nd Combat Regiment. Two Defense Department officials not authorized…
Reassurance, not peacekeeping: What Ukraine coalition force will and won’t do
The potential Western troop deployment to Ukraine being discussed in London should be described as a “reassurance force” rather than a “peacekeeping force”, defence and diplomatic sources say. Currently dubbed the Multinational Force Ukraine or MFU, it would be sent to the country to cement any ceasefire and encourage long-term confidence in the country. The…
M23 rebels capture strategic mining hub of Walikale in eastern DRC
Town in North Kivu province is the farthest west the group has reached since the start of its advance in January M23 rebels have captured a strategic mining hub in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, defying calls from the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC for an immediate ceasefire. A Congolese army spokesperson said…
Amazon Movers & Shakers: Trending Kitchen Products, Starting at $3
These are the coffee makers, milk frothers, veggie choppers, and more, that everyone on Amazon is buying RN. Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. My Amazon cart is almost always 75% of what I need and then 25% of…
Women in business held back by mobile data’s cost in developing world – report
Nearly half of female entrepreneurs surveyed by Cherie Blair Foundation for Women do not have regular internet access The cost of a mobile data package is all that is holding back many female entrepreneurs in developing countries, according to recent research. While social media marketing is reported to be crucial by female business owners who…
Tesla’s challenges run deeper than ‘toxic’ controversy around Elon Musk
“This has been our family car for three years, and it has been an absolute dream,” says Ben Kilbey as he shows me his gleaming pearl-white Tesla Model Y. Ben is a staunch electric car advocate. He runs a communications firm that promotes sustainable businesses in the UK. Yet now, he says, the Model Y…
Frozen Cosmic Sound Bubbles Suggest Dark Energy Is Shockingly Changeable
Shocking Dark Energy Findings Challenge the Standard Model of the Universe A new map of cosmic expansion suggests that dark energy evolves over time, hinting that the universe doesn’t work the way we thought it did By Zack Savitsky edited by Clara Moskowitz DESI’s 3D map of the universe can show how dark energy may…
In Syria, Being Wanted Went From Something to Fear to a Badge of Honor
Syria After Civil War The ousted Assad dictatorship kept lists of millions of wanted people. Now, Syrians are openly asking whether they “have a name” on any of those lists and are sharing the news proudly. By Raja Abdulrahim Reporting from Aleppo and Damascus, Syria When he returned to Syria recently for the first time…
New ‘baby pictures’ of the cosmos show the universe in its infancy
By Joe Hernandez Sure, they’re not your typical baby pictures. But a global team of researchers says new images published this week show some of the clearest visualizations yet of the universe in its infancy. If our roughly 13 billion-year-old cosmos could be considered middle-aged, the researchers note, these new images captured around its 380,000th…
The oceans are on the brink. Here are 3 ways to save them
Last year, a major United Nations climate report underscored a grim reality: Humanity is pushing the world’s oceans to the brink. By the end of the century, the report’s authors wrote, more of the world’s seas could be hot, acidic and lifeless — with catastrophic implications for marine life, the climate and for the food…
Study: Protecting tropics could save half of species on brink
In 2019, a landmark UN report revealed that nearly 1 million species face extinction due to human activities and climate change. A groundbreaking new study offers a solution to save more than half of these doomed species, while slowing climate breakdown: Conserve just 30 percent of tropical lands. The study, published today in the journal…
To stop climate catastrophe, look to soil: study
In 2019, a UN report laid out a bitter truth: The current food system is fueling the destruction of Earth’s forests — and humanity must overhaul how we grow and ship food to stop climate breakdown. But countries are struggling to keep farming sustainable while meeting the mounting demand for production — which must increase…
What does COVID-19 have to do with nature? These 5 articles explain
This post was updated May 19, 2020. Editor’s note: The COVID-19 pandemic has spread around the world at lightning speed, infecting more than 4.8 million people and killing more than 319,000 people to date. Protecting nature will be critical to preventing future pandemics, some scientists say. With that in mind, here are five articles that…
Shifting tuna populations could trigger ‘climate justice issue’: study
Despite their small size, Pacific Island nations and territories are a powerhouse in the fishing industry, contributing more than a third of the global tuna catch. However, the tide could soon turn for these islands — and not for the better. Fueled by greenhouse gas emissions, ocean warming will alter the habitats of tuna, causing…
RFK, Jr. Wants to Let Bird Flu Spread on Poultry Farms. Why Experts Are Concerned
RFK, Jr. Wants to Let Bird Flu Spread on Poultry Farms. Why Experts Are Concerned Health secretary RFK, Jr. has repeatedly suggested that farmers should let bird flu spread through flocks. Experts explain why that’s a dangerous idea By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner Chickens stand in a henhouse in Petaluma, Calif., on February…
Zelensky says lasting peace achievable this year as he and Trump hail ‘positive’ call
US President Donald Trump has held what he described as a “very good” hour-long phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, a day after speaking to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky said afterwards that he believed that “lasting peace can be achieved this year” under Trump’s leadership. They also discussed possible US ownership of…
Zelensky Agrees in Call With Trump to Halt Strikes on Russian Energy Targets
Russia-Ukraine War President Trump also floated the idea of the United States taking control of Ukrainian power plants, according to U.S. officials. The Ukrainian president said he was not pressured about the proposal. By Shawn McCreeshMichael Crowley and Maria Varenikova Shawn McCreesh and Michael Crowley reported from Washington. Maria Varenikova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. President…
Kendall Jenner Reacts to Khloe Kardashian’s “Cold” Lamar Odom Reunion
Kendall Jenner said sister Khloe Kardashian could’ve been “gentler” with ex Lamar Odom during her first reunion with the basketball player since their 2016 divorce. Kendall Jenner has some thoughts on how Khloe Kardashian treated Lamar Odom during their reunion. ICYMI: Khloe reunited with her ex-husband for the first time in nine years during the…
Covid ‘benevolence bump’ endures as acts of kindness 10% higher than before 2020
World Happiness Report 2024 finds volunteering more frequent in most regions as Finland tops chart again and Costa Rica and Mexico enter top 10 The world experienced a “benevolence bump” of kindness during the Covid-19 pandemic that has remained, with generous acts more than 10% above pre-pandemic levels. The annual World Happiness Report found that…
Study: Nature has saved us from worst climate impacts — for now
Nature itself has already saved humanity from a climate cataclysm, new research finds. Published today, the study found that without Earth’s complex web of terrestrial and marine ecosystems — known as the biosphere — we would already be seeing far more severe climate impacts than we are now. Using a state-of-the-art computer model of Earth,…
These ecosystems could determine our climate future: study
Nature’s stashes of climate-warming carbon are packed into a small percentage of Earth’s lands, finds a new study that pinpoints the ecosystems humanity must protect to avert a climate disaster. The study, published today in the journal Nature Sustainability, found that half of Earth’s “irrecoverable carbon” — defined as carbon that, if emitted into the…
That UN climate report wasn’t all bad news
So — there was another climate report? Yes. Specifically, the “Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC.” Trips right off the tongue, doesn’t it? Not at all. Remind me who the ‘IPCC’ is? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of the United Nations. Thousands of scientists contribute to…
News spotlight: What happened to Alaska’s snow crabs? Scientists have a few leads.
Editor’s note: News about conservation and the environment is made every day, but some of it can fly under the radar. In a recurring feature, Conservation News shares a recent news story that you should know about. Deep in the frigid east Bering Sea, snow crabs have historically flourished — supporting Alaska’s $160 million annual…
What is the biodiversity COP and why does it matter?
In a once-in-a-decade opportunity, policymakers from 196 countries are gathered in Montreal to tackle Earth’s “silent crisis” — the massive collapse of biodiversity. Conservation News sat down with Jill Hepp, Conservation International’s senior director of international policy, to discuss what COP15 could mean for building a more sustainable relationship between people and nature. Jill Hepp:…
News spotlight: Could seaweed be our new big climate ally?
Kelp forests are one of the fastest growing ecosystems on Earth — yet because they thrive out of reach of mapping satellites, scientists’ understanding of them has been stymied, Lucy Sherriff reported for the Guardian. A recent study, led by an international group of scientists including Filbee-Dexter, reveals that underwater forests are much more prolific…
Study: Protected forests are a climate powerhouse
Protected forests keep significantly more climate-warming carbon out of the atmosphere than unprotected forests, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, illustrates just how important protected areas are in the fight to curb climate change. Like a lot of research about earthly ecosystems, this analysis started in outer space. The…
Trump admin. cuts funding for program that tracked Ukrainian children abducted by Russia
By Ailsa Chang , Tinbete Ermyas , Marc Rivers Funding for a U.S.-based program that tracks thousands of Ukrainian children allegedly abducted and taken to Russia has been cut and U.S. lawmakers are worried that a database with crucial information has been permanently deleted, according to a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed…
Demi Moore Shares Sweet Twinning Moment With Ex Bruce Willis
Demi Moore re-shared a sweet video of her and ex-husband Bruce Willis wearing matching outfits and dancing in honor of his 70th birthday. Demi Moore shared a sweet video of another happy day with ex-husband Bruce Willis in honor of his 70th birthday. The Substance star had a heartwarming reaction to a video of her…
Foreign minister ‘strongly condemns’ China’s executions of four Canadians
Mélanie Joly says Ottawa would ask for leniency for other Canadians facing the same fate Canada has strongly condemned the execution of four of its citizens who were put to death in China on drug-smuggling charges, amid lingering diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The minister of foreign affairs, Mélanie Joly, said on Wednesday that…
What Severance Life Would Really Be Like, According to a Psychologist
What Severance Life Would Really Be Like, According to a Psychologist By Jess Thomson edited by Tanya Lewis In Severance, starring Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, John Turturro, Britt Lower, and Adam Scott, characters’ work personas inhabit a world that would be psychologically very stressful. Editor’s Note: This story contains spoilers for season two of the…
Mahmoud Khalil’s immigration case moves to New Jersey from New York
Ximena Bustillo A federal judge in New York transferred an immigration petition filed by Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil to New Jersey. The decision on Wednesday offers a compromise in the bellwether case, while Khalil’s lawyers and the Trump administration argue about whether Khalil should have been arrested by immigration authorities in the first…